


Hospital Bed

by WholesomeTrash



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Billy Hargrove Lives, Billy deserved to live goddamnit, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Probably ooc ngl lol, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-16
Packaged: 2020-06-29 07:30:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19825408
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WholesomeTrash/pseuds/WholesomeTrash
Summary: Billy wakes up to find himself in a hospital, Max staring down at him with tears in her eyes.Just what the hell was going on?





	Hospital Bed

**Author's Note:**

> The Duffer Brothers can catch these hands.

The first thing Billy saw when he opened his eyes was Max. Her brow was drawn in fierce concern, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears. He tried to ask what was wrong, who hurt her and where they were, but then he noticed the constant beeping in his ear. 

The bleach bright walls and murals painted on them brought back memories of bloody noses and broken bones. He was in a hospital no doubt, yet he couldn’t seem to recall why. His whole body ached with such a ferocity it sent his head spinning; he felt as if he was repeatedly trampled by cars, flung off cliffs, and smashed against a floor of spikes all at once. 

“What happened...?” he mumbled, his throat dry. The remnants of what tasted like blood sat on his tongue. Max gave a shaky sigh, looking like she wanted to fling herself onto him and never let go. 

“You don’t remember?” She spoke, hushed. Her voice wobbled, on the edge of a sob. For some reason the sight of her so troubled made Billy irrepressibly guilty. Did he do something wrong? He wracked his brain again and again, but came to even more confused each time. 

His silence finally made the tears flow, each one hitting him right in the chest. He wanted to say sorry. He wanted to pull his little sister to his side and hug her until all the worries of the world were miles away. 

“The Mind Flayer...it...” she hid her face in her hands, weeping, “I thought you were dead!” 

“Mind Flayer...?” 

“Yes! It took over your mind, made you do horrible things...oh god, I’m so sorry, Billy!” 

Max was reduced to shambles, her breathing labored and stressed, like all the realities of the universe came crashing down on her and her alone. Billy’s eyes widened, thoughts like pouring rain reminding him of everything that happened before he ended up broken in a hospital bed. 

The car crash, the monster, the  _pain_ of not being in control. It all came flooding back to him. And he never wanted anything more than to be rid of the memories again. He reached out and grabbed Max’s hand, squeezing it lightly. Their eyes met, both blurry and bloodshot. Just from looking Max could tell he remembered. 

“Don’t say that,” he said as gently as he could, “please don’t say that.” Max sobbed, ducking her head away into the crook of her arm. Billy rubbed his calloused thumb over the smooth palm of her hand, a silent comforter. 

“Hey, look at me.” 

Max sniffled, lifting her gaze to watch her brother’s eyes with vulnerability he’d never seen in her ever before. He tried to smile, for her sake, but it didn’t quite reach. 

“You have  _nothing_ to apologize for,” he said with finality, “do you understand?”

She looked ready to argue, but then nodded sagely. The room delved into uncomfortable silence, leaving Billy wondering just when he started to  care  so much. Perhaps he always did; he just stopped showing it. From the moment his father started beating his mother and he could do nothing to stop it, he gave up trying. Gave up trying to save people, and turned to hurting them instead. 

The door creaked open, and only then was the silence broken. El poked her head through, slowly creeping into the room while anxiously wringing her fingers together. Max turned and beckoned her closer. 

“Hi, El.” She greeted. 

“Hi, Max...” El returned, pulling up a chair and sitting down. She looked all along Billy’s body, but never once met his eyes. He found her hesitation oddly endearing. 

“Do you...remember me?” The girl asked hopefully. Billy wondered why. The way he—the Mind Flayer had treated her was a sound enough reason to never want to see him again. _Ever_. He sighed heavily. 

“Yeah. You’re the one who freed me from that...thing,” His voice was quiet, “thank you.” 

El blushed, rubbing her neck. Her and Max shared a look. Billy turned his head back and forth between them, trying to discern what was going on in their minds. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his, the same soft touch as when she touched his cheek, oh so gently.

“You’re welcome,” she said with a small smile, “and thank  _you_ , for saving me.” 

At that Billy didn’t respond.  _You don’t deserve thanks_ ,  the little voice spoke in the back of his brain.  _You don’t even deserve to be alive right now_.  Seemingly reading his mind, Max gave his hand a squeeze, carefully leaning over to envelop him in a hug. 

It was their first. They had never once embraced or even thought of it before. Now it just felt right, like they were two puzzle pieces ready to stick together. Brother and sister, not by blood, but by heart. Billy wrapped his arms around her hesitantly, almost expecting her to recoil from his touch. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, “about everything...” 

“I forgive you,” she answered immediately, chuckling wetly into his shoulder, “I forgive you, Billy.” 

That was all it took to break the dam. Tears came before he could even think to hide them, and he sobbed. Max held him tighter, taking care not to jostle his injuries. El stood up, trying not to ruin the moment they were having, but the first step she took towards the door resulted in her getting pulled into the hug as well. 

She was surprised, to say the least, but was content with being included. 

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Max giggled, “but I’m fucking glad it is.” 

She said exactly what all of them were thinking.

**Author's Note:**

> I know, it’s pretty short, but I hope you liked it anyways.


End file.
